Kahil El’Zabar Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
Living legend and multi-instrumentalist Kahil El’Zabar celebrates the 50th (!) birthday of his ground-breaking Ethnic Heritage Ensemble. Kahil is a spiritual jazz artist that has collaborated with legends like Donny Hathaway, Dizzy Gillespie, Cannonball Adderley, Nina Simone, McCoy Tyner, Stevie Wonder.
Kahil El’Zabar is seventy years old nowadays, but still going strong. On the new album “Open Me a Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit” – his group’s eighteenth album – he is more creative than ever. The multi-tasking percussionist, composer and fashion designer is continuing to expand on his vision of the history and future of black music.
The ensemble combines own compositions with timeless classics by Miles Davis and McCoy Tyner, sometimes with spiritual sounds, sometimes deeply funky. The band’s already non-standard line-up is further expanded with cello and violin. The fiftieth birthday of the group will have them offer a sonic trip through anything jazz; it is also a unique opportunity to experience them live.
Line-up:
Alex Harding (baritone saxophone)
Corey Wilkes (trumpet)
Ishmael Ali (cello)
Kahil El’Zabar (drums, percussion)
